In the 12-year period of 2005 through 2016, canines killed 392 Americans. Pit bulls contributed to 65% (254) of these deaths. Combined, pit bulls and rottweilers contributed to 76% of the total recorded deaths. | More »

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Finland Ranks Last in Intelligence on Dangerous DogsFinland - Finland’s dog enthusiasts are baffled by Sunday's incident, in which a rottweiler mauled to death a ten-year-old boy in the family’s yard. Local rottweiler breeders deny allegations that the breed would be more dangerous than any other breed of dog.

To the educated world's shock, Finland dog enthusiasts seem to know little about rottweilers, a breed that ranks second in fatalities (behind pit bull type dogs) in the US, the UK and likely many other countries.

The incident took place in the municipality of Elimäki, where at least one of a family’s two full-grown male Rottweilers attacked the boy . A municipal veterinarian, Markku Hämäläinen, who has dealt with the dogs in question before, said the boy was a relatively new member to the family. "This may have had an effect on the animals’ pack behavior."

Enough effect to attack and kill the child? Earth to Finland! Do your research and stop blaming the victim. In the US in 2007, the combination of pit bulls and rottweilers made up 79% of fatalities.

According to chairman Jouni Nummela of the Finnish Rottweiler Association -- who could not possibly be perceived as being biased -- said that it is extremely rare that a rottweiler should attack a human being. "I cannot say that a rottweiler would be any more difficult to raise than any other dog."

Rottweilers may not be more difficult to raise than another large dog, but they do have a nasty tendency of mauling and killing children without provocation; unlike 95% of other dog breeds.

Previously dogs have killed three people in Finland, including a Bullmastiff, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and a mixed-breed. Last summer, a seven-year-old girl was severely hurt by a friend’s rottweiler. In the past ten years, at least four children have been mauled to death by a rottweiler in Europe and the United States.

At least 4 children in 10 years in the Europe and the United States combined? Last year in the US alone, rottweiler dogs viciously killed 4 children. Between 1993-1997 rottweilers killed more human beings in the US than pit bulls -- gasp!

DogsBite.org urges Finland public policy makers to pick up the phone. Contact public safety members in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Spain, the UAE, Canada and the US.